Jack in the Green

Choreographer: Rosie Fagg

Music: Blowzabella. Finish/ Scottish.

4/4 Time—4 walking pace beats.


You can watch the original dance on the internet:-

Google: “Jack In the Green circle dance by Rosie Fagg, presented by Kevin Meyer”, and another version by Rosemary Gledhill.

Beth’s version has slight changes to these.

This dance was written by Rosie Fagg for King Charles 111 coronation. The designs on the invitations centred on the “Green man”, an ancient figure in British folk-law who symbolizes spring and the rebirth, because of the King’s love if nature and the environment.

Jack in the Green (The Green Man) processions are an English tradition celebrating May Day and spring. It involves a person wearing a conical framework covered in green foliage and flowers. Dancers, singers and musicians danced around the person.

It developed during the 18th. Century and is thought to have come from an older Mat Day tradition recorded in the 17th century where milkmaids carried milk pails decorated with flowers and objects. By the 10th century the tradition was mainly carried out by the Chimney sweeps. By the early 20th century the tradition had died out, but later revived by various groups with processions in many towns in England along with Morris Dancers.